We at Razzball realize that exporting our views across the country has damaging consequences on the blogosphere. To help make amends, we are reaching out to leading team blogs and featuring their locally blogged answers to pressing 2011 fantasy baseball questions regarding their team. We feel this approach will be fresher, more sustainable, and require less energy consumption (for us anyway). The 2011 Astros Fantasy Baseball Preview comes courtesy of Astros County.

1. I’m having a hard time thinking Chris Johnson will be as productive over a full season as he was in a little over half of a year. What’s your take?

It’s certainly reasonable to assume that Johnson won’t have as strong of a 2011 (that .387 BABIP is dangling in the edge of ridiculousness). So once pitchers figure out his strengths (hitting while ahead in the count) and his weaknesses (hitting things other than fastballs), he’ll be due for some regression. But I hope not.

2. I’m a sucker for strikeouts. I wouldn’t mind seeing something other than strikeouts though. Which brings us to Bud Norris. Can he shave a run off his ERA in 2010? Maintain his 9+ K/9? Lower his walk rate?

The best way for Norris to improve is with his consistency. He had six starts last season in which he didn’t make it out of the 5th, and six starts where he pitched 7+ innings. He’s going to have to be more efficient, and that’s going to come with not walking guys, something he did quite a bit in 2010. Norris only had one start in which he didn’t walk a batter and four more where he only walked one, and seven starts where he walked 4+ batters. With pitching coach Brad Arnsberg in his second season, I think Astros fans expect him to improve.

3. Brett Wallace’s been passed around more than a spliff at a Cypress Hill concert. Can he settle in at 1st base and be productive in 2010?

Ha! Something that I like to point out regarding Brett Wallace’s frequent-flyer status is, look who he got traded for: Matt Holliday, Michael Taylor, and Anthony Gose – a player who the Blue Jays were apparently foaming at the mouth to get. But whether he’ll be productive in 2011? That’s what keeps Ed Wade up at night. He’ll be given a chance, but I’m not sure how long his leash will be. The Astros have more OF options in the farm system than 1B options. So if Wallace struggles in Spring Training, Carlos Lee will be your huckleberry at 1B.

4. Hunter Pence looks like he’s settled into a solid 25/15 man, +/- 3 on either. Can he have one of those improbable 35 homer seasons and surprise everyone?

It’s possible. He’s been pretty consistent in the 15% range as far as homers and flyballs, but he hits a lot of grounders. That’s a short left-field at Minute Maid Park, so if it’s going to happen anywhere, he’s in the right spot.

5. Chris McGarry is playing Ed Wade in the Moneyball movie. Any truth that Ed Wade’s toupee will be played by Robin Williams?

It was my understanding that Burt Reynolds was playing Ed Wade’s toupee, and the toupee gets traded to the Phillies midway through the movie.

would you trade j-up for carl crawford in a keeper? im super light on speed (i have a ton of power), and i think that this would round my team out better. but if youre that high on upton, theres prob a reason.

The Rays are not good. Not at all good. Becoming more convinced that this is a monster fantasy season about to happen for Bossman Junior, however. He’s swing is really very compact compared to last year. He’s got very good hands. No reason he should have had so much arc in his swing. Nice work Rod Carew.

Grey couple of questions…first, with Nishioka going to the DL should I DL him or cut him? I don’t currently have anyone on the DL so the spot is open. He’s currently my backup at 2nd/SS. Should I look for another guy at those positions or go in another direction? I currently have 7 starting pitchers and 2 relievers. League is 7×7 (standrad 5×5 + OBP, 2B, WHIP, and HR). Also, BTW, I missed on my waiver claim last night on Gardner that I asked you about.

Would you put a claim on Furcal in addition to Young? I’m 10th on the WW so I doubt I’ll get either. My first inclination on guys to add would be Orlando Cabrera since he’s been hot and gives me another 2b/ss guy. Melky has also been white hot so he might be useful until he inevitable falls into one of his massive slumps.

@AL KOHOLIC: basically guys like romero and edwin jackson are throwing great and hanson, liriano, etc are throwing like dog crap. It will come around tho…. half of my bad blow ups are in cold weather, come on who schedules these games!!!

I’d be getting arod/walden/naps and I need a catcher desperately (as asked above), arod would be an upgrade over heyward in the long haul offensively, im in no need of SB’s so the difference there doesn’t matter, and i love whoring saves and moving them for needs later…. walden would be a nice little bonus…. too much? Arod was the guys 2nd rounder, #14 overall, he’s not going to sell for cheap.

@Grey – One more if you don’t mind. With the addition of Rios and Youk getting 3B eligibility, I have Chipper and Belt on the bench. Swap one for Tabata on the WW or drop both for Tabata and an SP (Esmil?). Need one bench guy since I have Holliday. Thanks!

Just being honest, not a great trade for you. You had Iannetta whose arguably better than Soto and better park/lineup. Also if he had 3 catchers he probably planned on dropping one anyways. Plus I like Volquez down the stretch. Sorry to but in, but real talk.

Real World, Vegas, 7 strangers (picked to binge drink and spread VDs in a hotel) – if memory serves, the season opener showed (in the “this season on the RW” montage) that Dustin’s gay porn past is discovered by someone on the interwebs; I don’t think he reveals it. That’ll be so much better…